Joao Felix joins Al Nassr’s Lisbon camp as Ronaldo waits for Riyadh return

Joao Felix has joined Al Nassr’s training camp in Lisbon, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo as the only member of the Saudi club’s squad yet to report to the pre-season base in Portugal.

Al Nassr published photographs of Felix arriving at the camp, where the Portugal forward greeted members of the squad and coaching staff. He also met new head coach Ange Postecoglou, who is leading the club for the first time during their preparations for the new season.

Felix is the latest Al Nassr player to arrive in Lisbon. He followed Senegal forward Sadio Mane, who joined the camp on Friday evening.

Ronaldo is now the only Al Nassr player who has not taken part in the club’s overseas preparations. According to Saudi media reports, the Portugal captain will not travel to Lisbon and instead plans to wait until the squad returns to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, before beginning his training programme.

Al Nassr’s camp in Lisbon is scheduled to finish on 5 August. That means Ronaldo is not expected to resume training in Riyadh for at least another week, with the players likely to be given a short period of rest after returning from Portugal.

Ronaldo has been absent from the camp since it began on 19 July. His absence follows his involvement with Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The forward was expected to rejoin Al Nassr after completing the statutory 21-day period following Portugal’s elimination from the tournament. Portugal were knocked out by Spain in the last 16 on 6 July, but Ronaldo has not yet returned to club training.

His delayed arrival comes with the new Roshn Saudi League season due to begin in about two weeks. Al Nassr’s opening fixture is scheduled for 15 August, when they will face Al Fateh in the first round of the competition.

The club’s preparations are therefore continuing under Postecoglou without their captain and leading global figure. Felix’s arrival, after Mane’s, means the majority of the squad is now in place in Lisbon, while Ronaldo’s participation in the remainder of pre-season will depend on his return to Riyadh after the camp concludes.